


Cup Noodles

by madlysanecatlady



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Friendship, Gladnis, M/M, but it's ok noct is on the case, cup noodles!, poor iggy is heartbroken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 12:13:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13364466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madlysanecatlady/pseuds/madlysanecatlady
Summary: It's been a few days since Gladio left, and his absence is felt by the whole party, but none more so than the man who loves him best.





	Cup Noodles

Noctis was pretty sure he was dreaming. Relatively. Well, not really, but it was the only way he could think to explain what was happening in front of him right now.

They had stopped at a haven to rest after some particularly hardy mandrakes had kept them fighting for almost the entire morning. Noctis offered to fish in the nearby lake for dinner, but Prompto had insisted they have a small bite to eat for lunch first. Ignis had made them sandwiches with some leftover cockatrice meat, and Noctis had assumed he would make one for himself as well, but frowned when Ignis took out… _cup noodles_.

Cup noodles. Ignis _that’s-not-a-real-meal-Gladio-stop-it_ Scientia had _chosen_ to eat cup noodles while there were other, much healthier and more delicious alternatives available to him. Sure, he had added vegetables and some of the meat to the noodles along with the flavour packet, but still; the fact remained that Ignis was eating them.

Noctis sighed. It had been four days since Gladio had left them. It seemed some of the party were taking it a bit harder than the others. Ignis had assured Noctis that they would be fine without him for a little while, that it might do them some good to have to put more effort into their fighting, but Noctis could see it; Ignis was _pining_.

He went over and sat next to his friend and mentor, putting a comforting arm around his shoulders as the older man stared into the cup of noodles, the steam fogging up his glasses. ‘I know, Specs. I miss him too.’

Ignis shrugged, dislodging Noctis’ arm, but the prince was persistent. He sighed. ‘It’s no good to whine about it. He has something he feels he needs to do, something that does not require our help. We also have something that needs doing, with or without Gladio’s assistance.’

‘Yeah, but… it’s okay to be mad at him, Ignis,’ Noctis shook his head. ‘He up and abandoned us, he abandoned _you_. It’s okay to be mad. And it’s okay to be sad.’

‘ _You’re_ the one he’s sworn to protect and guide,’ Ignis argued. ‘You’re the one with every right to be upset, not I.’

‘So not true, Specs,’ Noctis snorted. ‘He’s got a duty to you too. Besides, yeah, I am mad at him. I’m _pissed_ , actually. Not because he left _me_ , I know you and Promto have got my back, but because he’s breaking your heart right now. You’re my friend Ignis, we’ve been friends for as long as I can remember, hell, sometimes I have to catch myself before I call you “mom”. You’re always taking care of me, of all of us. Why can’t you just let us be here for you when you need?’

Ignis’ eyes stung against the onslaught of tears brimming them. His charge was persistent, offering soothing words and a warm hug as the emptiness in his heart at Gladio’s absence threatened to grow and consume him. It came to be too much and Ignis, long having been a strong and solid companion for the prince to lean on, finally allowed himself the small indulgence of accepting a friendly shoulder to cry on and broke down and cried.

Noctis held his friend tightly, listening to him let out the pain in his heart with a frown. Whatever Gladio was up to, it had damned well better be worth what he was putting Ignis through. If it wasn’t, he’d be sorry; Noctis would see to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Sweet baby Noct taking care of his friends gives me life. So precious.


End file.
